Mr. Chairman,

At this last plenary before Copenhagen, the Group 77 and China would like to reaffirm its position that a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol must be established for a period beyond 2012 as the legal basis for comparable Annex I emission reduction commitments. The Group will strongly stand against all attempts by developed countries to reach an agreement which could in any way result in the Kyoto Protocol being superseded or made redundant.   As we stated in the opening plenary, killing the Kyoto Protocol would have the effect of undermining the foundational principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and ultimately puts at risk any ambitious outcome to aggressively address climate change and its devastating impacts on our countries.  

The group 77 and China would also like to reaffirm that the core mandate of the AWG-KP is to define the second and subsequent commitment periods with ambitious quantified emission reductions for developed countries that will significantly contribute to the minimization of future impacts of climate change on developing countries.  

The group would also like to express its serious concern and dismay that this session in Barcelona has made little progress in concluding on Annex 1 Party quantified emission reduction targets, individually and in aggregate. In this regard, we would like to note that a continuation of this trend to delay the conclusion of negotiations of Annex 1 party quantified emission reduction targets, in Copenhagen, makes the prospect of reaching any agreement in Copenhagen impossible for the G77 and China.  It is our view that this would be a violation of the agreements reached in Bali and amounts to negotiation in bad faith, in which the G77 and China will not participate.

The group 77 and China supports the agreed organization of work in Copenhagen, where our focus will be on increasing the level of ambition of Annex 1 party quantified emission reduction targets for the second commitment period, while at the same time reaching agreement on improved modalities, mechanisms and methodologies of the Kyoto protocol, as well as how to minimize the consequences, including spill-over effects of Annex 1 Party mitigation policies and measures on non-Annex 1 countries.

Finally, the Group of 77 and China looks forward to achieving a momentous and historical international climate change outcome in Copenhagen, and I would also like to assure you that the group will continue to engage openly and constructively in the work of the AWG-KP to define the second and subsequent commitment periods for the Kyoto Protocol. The Group of 77 and China, would also like to appeal to all Parties, particularly Annex I Parties to engage faithfully in the negotiations to complete the mandate of the AWG-KP and to build a strong Kyoto Protocol which is the foundation and basis for a fair, just, effective and equitable outcome in Copenhagen.